Up and coming? Future GT rider? How is he going to fare in the tour?
Very impressive so far this season, ITT very well today. But I am most shocked to see how he climbed in the second stage, next two days will be a real nice opportunity to further assess his climbing ability in the high mountains. If he can also recuperate well in three weeks, we get another (besides De Gent)whole package deal.

That is why I am a little shocked when I saw him climbing at the second stage. And next two days we will see how he can tackle the high mountain again in consecutive two days under pressure with Gesink and Kreuziger at his A**:D

Can't wait to see the next stage starts:D

Catwhoorg wrote:I have a lot of time for him, and was happy to see him get a tour stage win last year.

He hasn't shown great talent in high mountains yet, and I see him more as a classics talent, with the ability to pull togther good week long stage races on favourable courses.

maxmartin wrote:That is why I am a little shocked when I saw him climbing at the second stage. And next two days we will see how he can tackle the high mountain again in consecutive two days under pressure with Gesink and Kreuziger at his A**:D

i have always thought since his performance on the 07 and 08 u23 worlds that he would be great for the hilly classics in the future mostly after his 08 worlds when he bridged a huge gap to the leading group that sprinted for the win on his own. But the way he has been climbing is an huge surprise even for me. he lost a few kilos last year to improve his climbing and it seemed to work but not to this level. if he keeps up like this he will be also a very dangerous guy for 1 week long races in the future.

about GT riding well i am not so sure there, he only ever rode the tour and crashed out on the first year when he was 22/23 and the following year was pretty much invisible. Last year he had problems with a tendinitis on his right knee iirc the days after his stage win but he never even tried to do anything GC wise and with a stage win already in the bag he rode on the cav autobus for a few days in order to recover. on the alpe stage he was in the breakaway and was able to keep up with contador and schleck up the galibier, but so was riblon so that isn't really a sign of anything.

He's not a GT guy. Certainly not right now, anyway. Remember Verbier's only 8km long at 7%, shouldn't really be more than a cat.2 in a GT. He didn't show too much more on Verbier than he showed to win on Super-Besse in the Tour, it's just that cos all the climbing came in one go it was a bit more surprising.

Over one week, hilly and medium mountain stages, then yes. He could well be a winner of Lombardia some day, but let's remember that this is a fairly mild TdS parcours. Not as bad as 2009, sure, but there's still no climb like Malbun or stage like La Punt to test his GC-style climbing mettle.

What Costa has shown himself to be throughout his career is smart. He knows how to work groups to get the wins. The way him and Rojas double teamed everybody in the climbs until he eventually got away in the 2010 Tour de Suisse was excellent, the way he worked in the break and with Tejay van Garderen to his Tour stage last year was even better. He may not be a natural talent on the bike when it comes to climbing, but he is blessed with a racer's instinct and can probably inject himself into a few GC mixes he has no business being part of over his years.

He's always been a good rider, too bad most don't read past the top 10 of any race as that is not all that happens in a race. Another complaint of mine for years is how the media never ever writes the who's and what of a race pre-final attack, so much happens and its left out. The contenders don't get a free ride to the finali all by themselves you know...

I'm just glad he's been allowed some personal glory now.

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I still think he is mainly a classics rider and 1-week races that don't future too much HC climbing.

In fact his only results in stage-races have been where the hardest stage was a hill stage or medium mountain stage (like this years Romandie, multiple instances of Algarve, etc).

The TdS this year doesn't future much HC climbing either, Verbier was the longest climb at 7km so far. Which still suits Costa. Sunday we will get an interesting test on a long proper HC climb. If the competition puts pressure on early we might see how we fares in real climbs

BYOP88 wrote:Great to see that Porte has rediscovered his 2010/11 climbing form. Hope he can keep it for the rest of the Tour and year.

He sort semi-failed today but showed quite a lot maturity especially in the beginning when he was yoyoing at the back. Maybe just a bad day, let's see how he does tomorrow. One thing for sure Frank and Robert will be all guns out.